Molded saddle tree and metallic saddle horn

ABSTRACT

A molded saddle tree assemblage is provided by forming a seat, front and rear jockeys, a cantle, pommel and a ground seat by injection molding the tree assemblage in a mold cavity within which a metallic saddle horn is positioned for attachment to the molded tree as it is molded with the base or stem portion of the horn shaped for maximum embedded strength.

United States Patent [191 Nankivell, Jr.

[ MOLDED SADDLE TREE AND METALLIC SADDLE HORN [75] lnventor: Erby Roy Nankivell, Jr., Athens,

Tenn.

[73] Assignee: Ralide, lnc., Athens, Tenn.

[22] Filed: Jan. 12, 1973 [21'] Appl. No.: 323,333

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. l72,208, Aug. I6, 1971, Pat. No. 3,712,024, which is a continuation-impart of Ser. No. 730,874, May 21, 1968, abandoned, and a continuation of Ser. No. 822,907, May 8, I967, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 54/44 [Sl] Int. Cl. B68c 01/02 [58] Field of Search 54/44, 45, 46

[ Dec. 25, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,529,402 9/1970 Queen 54/44 3,293,828 12/1966 Hessler 54/44 Primary ExaminerHugh R. Chamblee Attorney-Harold L. Stowell [57] ABSTRACT A molded saddle tree assemblage is provided by forming a seat, front and rear jockeys, a cantle, pommel and a ground seat by injection molding the tree assemblage in a mold cavity within which a metallic saddle horn is positioned for attachment to the molded tree as it is molded with the base or stem portion of the horn shaped for maximum embedded strength.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED DEC 2 51973 SHEU 1 0F 3 PAIENTED r 3.780.484

sum 2 0r 3 l MOLDED SADDLE TREE AND METALLIC SADDLE HORN CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 172,208, filed Aug. 16, I97 I U. S. Pat. No. 3,7l2,024, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 730,874, filed May 21, 1968, now abandoned and a continuation of application Ser. No. 822,907, filed May 8, 1967, now abandoned.

In the past it has been the common practice to make saddle trees from a plurality of formed and shaped wood sections glued and nailed together and to strengthen the saddle horn by inserting in the formed wooden sections a metallic spike or bolt. The wooden saddle trees with the strengthened saddle horn are then covered with suitable fabric and leather strapping pads and coverings to provide a completed saddle. The first part that is put on such formed trees is a part formed from a piece of sheet metal and several pieces of leather. Such part is termed a strainer or ground seat and over the ground seat, attached to the saddle tree, the coverings are placed.

While such tree assemblages have been in use for many years, the inherent weakness in the saddle horn and the likelihood of splitting and splintering of the wood during the attachment of the leather and fabric coverings and strappings, together with the difficulty today in finding woodworkers of sufficient skill to accurately pattern the wood trees, have created a substantial problem in the saddle making industry.

The inherent disadvantages above referred to are substantially eliminated by the improved integrally cast or molded plastic saddle tree having integrally formed therewith a metallic saddle horn disclosed and claimed in my prior applications referred to hereinbefore. By integrally forming the saddle tree from plastic with an embedded metallic horn a very strong and consistently uniform product is produced which is substantially unaffected by moisture and is stronger and easier to cover and finish than saddle trees hereinbefore provided.

It has now been found that in a small percent of saddles formed on molded trees with the metal horn molded in place as taught in myprior applications the saddle horn has pulled loose from the tree and/or a portion of the plastic within which the horn is embedded has broken loose from the pommel.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an improved saddle tree having an improved molded in place saddle horn wherein the configuration of the base, stem, or root portion of the horn substantially eliminates the problem of horns breaking loose from the tree pommel.

Another object is to provide an improved saddle horn which permits molding of saddle trees from less dense plastic, and therefore of lighter weight, without substantial risk of horn pull-out or pommel breakage.

The invention will be more particularly described in reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a saddle tree constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan of the saddle illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the saddle tree illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the improved saddle tree horn;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view through the pommel and horn of the tree shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3; and

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic view of an injection molding press employed in producing a saddle tree such as illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3.

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 through 3, 10 generally designates an integrally formed and contoured saddle tree consisting of a seat portion 12, a ground seat 13, front and rear jockeys l4 and 16, respectively, a pommel 18, a cantle 20, and a metallic born 22.

As more clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the metallic born 22 includes a head portion 24 and a stem portion 26. The stem portion 26 is generally, in longitudinal section, of a smaller but similar configuration of the longitudinal sectional configuration of the pommel 18.

It will be particularly noted that the stem is of open shape and unitarilly formed with front and rear members or legs 28 and 30 and a connecting bottom leg or member 32. In this way when the molten plastic is flowed or forced into the mold all portions of the stem are surrounded, forming an integral smoothly contoured union between the horn and pommel.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 3 and 5 it will be seen that regardless of the direction of forces applied to the head portion 24 of the horn, movement of the stem 26 is always resisted by a large mass of plastic greater than one-half the thickness of the pommel at the zone of horn insertion. It will be seen that the plastic material that is enclosed by the generally triangular loop shape of the horn shank is placed in double shear, that is to push or pull the born out you would have to double shear the enclosed plastic.

In a typical tree wherein the pommel has a longitudinal corss dimension of about 3 inches a horn having the following dimensions has been found to be very satisfactory:

l. Overall length 3-1/2 inches;

2. Length of stem 3 inches;

3. Maximum distance between legs or members 28 and 30 at A l-3/4 inches;

4. Thickness of members 28 and 30 l/4 inch; and

5. Thickness of horn at B 3/4 inch.

Referring to particularly FIG. 6 of the drawing, apparatus suitable for manufacturing the improved injection molded saddle tree is illustrated. In FIG. 6 an injection molding apparatus is generally designated 50 and comprises a hopper 52 for pelletized or granular plastic material 54 which feeds into the heater and ram cylinder 56. The plastic grandulars are fed towards the sprue 58 of the mold generally designated 60 by, for example, a

reversible screw illlustrated at 62. The plastic being fed into the mold cavity is heated by electric heating coils, generally designated 64, which encircles the extrusion head 66 of the injection molding apparatus 50 as is well known in the art. The molten thermoplast is forced through the sprue 58 into the mold cavity which is shaped into the desired saddle tree configuration.

One portion of the mold 68 is fitted with a magentic bar or plate 70 which may be a permanent magnet or be energized by an electrical coil 72 mounted on top of the mold portion 68. The magnetic bar 70 releasably holds the metallic saddle horn 22, by the flat top or head portion 24 thereof, and positions the metallic horn 22 such that when the molten plastic fills the mold cavity the horn 22 is correctly positioned on the pommel of the saddle tree. It is also recognized that the magnetic bar 70 may contact the under surface of the horn head 24.

While magnetic horn holding means have proved to be very satisfactory, other gripping means could be employed to releasably anchor the saddle horn prior to the injection molding of the plastic material. For example, if the metallic insert is non-magnetic, such as aluminum, the horn may be positioned in the mold with a contact cement.

The single tree assemblage following molding is then covered with suitable fabric and leather strapping pads and coverings to form a finished complete saddle with only a few, relatively simple, manual operations being required in so doing.

Very satisfactory results are obtained when the plastic composition 54 comprises a high density polyethylene and the horn 22 comprises 4,515 ductile iron and when the horn is held in the mold cavity by an electromgnet.

While polyethylene has provided very good results, injection molding compounds such as polystyrene, the

4 vinyls, nylon, styrene-acrylonitrile, polymethylstyrene, etc., may be employed in the manufacture of the improved molded saddle tree assemblage.

From the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be seen that the objects and advantages hereinbefore set forth are fully accomplished.

I claim:

1. In a molded plastic saddle tree assemblage having a molded in place metallic horn in the pommel thereof the improvement wherein the horn consists of a top portion and a plastic embedded stem portion and wherein the stem portion in longitudinal section comprises spaced front and rear legs and a bottom portion joining the lower extremeties of the legs.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal cross sectional configuration of the stem is similar but smaller than the longitudinal cross configuration of the pommel into which it is molded.

3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein the plastic of the tree comprises a polyethylene and the horn comprises a ferris metal. 

1. In a molded plastic saddle tree assemblage having a molded in place metallic horn in the pommel thereof the improvement wherein the horn consists of a top portion and a plastic embedded stem portion and wherein the stem portion in longitudinal section comprises spaced front and rear legs and a bottom portion joining the lower extremeties of the legs.
 2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein the longitudinal cross sectional configuration of the stem is similar but smaller than the longitudinal cross configuration of the pommel into which it is molded.
 3. The invention defined in claim 2 wherein the plastic of the tree comprises a polyethylene and the horn comprises a ferris metal. 